PRASAD-BSNL 2 LAST (BES25)

The programme to connect villages and panchayats through optical fibre was started in 2011 and only 358 km of optical fibre was laid in three years during the previous Manmohan Singh government regime, he said.

A massive 1.22 lakh km of optical fibre has been laid in the two years of the Modi rule, which is a big achievement, he added.

"Almost 80 per cent of optical fibre laying work to connect gram panchayats has been completed in the state where the service has reached even to a remote district of Balrampur. Gram panchayat and village level entrepreneur will fulfil the dream of digital governance in the country," the senior leader said.

"Rajiv Gandhi had saida 100 rupee disbursed from Delhi becomes only Rs 15 by the time it reaches to people. But now Rs 100 sent from Delhi reaches as Rs 100 to Raipur. Rs 100 disbursed from Raipur reaches as Rs 100 to Balrampur, this is what we call Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through technology," he said.

DBT through technology has saved Rs 36,500 crore of the Centre, he claimed.

On other schemes of the Centre, Prasad said payment banks of the Indian Post service will commence from next year.

About 1.5 lakh postmen will be provided with moving ATMs which will prove as a great boon for the tribal areas of the state, he added. PTI TKP ARS RG BAS

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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